To the editor:
As we are hearing and seeing more ads both for and against the Ohio's marijuana legislation -- Issue 2 on the Nov. 7 ballot. Let me speak to what we are seeing and reading here at Family Recovery Center:
• According to national reports, alcohol is the most widely used substance by teenagers, and, for drugs, marijuana has the highest prevalence.
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports marijuana use among youth and adolescents is a major public health concern. In 2019, roughly one in eight adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 -- 13 percent -- used marijuana in the last year, and four in 10 high school students reported using marijuana in their lifetime.
• According to NIDA 21.3 percent of 12th graders have used marijuana, and 6 percent of the 12th graders report daily use of marijuana.
• For young people between the ages of 18 and 25, almost 20 percent have used in the past month.
• Studies reveal that marijuana use during adolescence has been linked to long-term detrimental effects on the brain's cerebral cortex, impulse control and executive functioning such as planning and decision making.
• NIDA research shows that THC, the chemical that makes you feel high, can have negative effects on the brain, including memory problems that can last up to a week or longer, and lower IQ if you smoke marijuana regularly during your adolescent years.
• Longtime users report being less satisfied with their life and have relationship problems, as well as reporting poor mental and physical health.
• Legal does not mean safe. Think about alcohol and cigarettes. Both are legal to use, have risks associated with them and can even contribute to a person's death. Think about it -- this could be the same for marijuana.
• According to federal regulations, currently marijuana is illegal at the federal level and classified in the Schedule 1 category. Schedule 1 is the most restrictive schedule.
• Locally, we are finding more and more companies no longer conducting drug testing of their employees. Shouldn't this be a safety concern?
Hopefully, these multiple points will help you determine how you vote on this issue.
Eloise Traina
CEO, Family
Recovery Center
Steubenville